


A Cursed World

by HufflepuffChildOfApollo



Series: Drastoria oneshots [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abnormal Weather Due To Stupid Wizards, Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Angst and Tragedy, Apocalypse, Baby Scorpius Malfoy, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Elemental Magic, F/M, Hopeful Ending, Illnesses, Not Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Compliant, Sad with a Happy Ending, Scorpius Malfoy & Albus Severus Potter Friendship, Storms, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-19 14:28:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20321344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HufflepuffChildOfApollo/pseuds/HufflepuffChildOfApollo
Summary: They're all each other has left.How long until that ends?





	A Cursed World

Chaos and thunder were all Draco sensed as he ran through the halls. His heart pounded, loud enough to hear over the storm outside.

"Astoria!" he shouted, hurriedly turning the handle to their shared bedroom door. The door gave way quickly, and he hurried inside. "Astoria!"

His wife leapt into his arms, her face streaked with tears. "Draco!" she sobbed, her fingers tangling in his hair. "I thought I'd lose you," she murmured. 

"You won't," he said, holding her tight. "You won't, but we need to get somewhere saf—" a crash of thunder interrupted him, and Astoria looked toward the window. Outside, rain was pouring harder and harder, lightning flashing every couple of seconds. 

"The cellar," Astoria managed to say, clutching his hand tighter than ever. "We'll be safe there." Draco nodded, holding her close. 

"Get your things together," he said softly. "Anything we'll need." He glanced out the window. "I feel like it'll be a while before we'll be able to come back up here." 

Astoria nodded, throwing a cloak on over her nightgown and picking up the bag laying on the bedside table. Draco ran to the adjoining room, filling an old school bag with as many bottles and vials as he could find on the shelves of his potion store, then ran back to Astoria. 

Her eyes were wide and nervous, her fingers tapping restlessly on her swollen belly. Draco's breath caught in his throat; In all the commotion he'd nearly forgotten that Astoria was due in two days. 

"All this will be over by then," she said, reading his expression. She took his hand, a tremulous smile spreading over her face. "Let's just get to the cellar, eh?"

Draco nodded, opening the door. 

+

Minutes later the two were settled in a corner of the cellar among a pile of blankets and pillows Astoria had collected. The sounds of the deluge outside were drowned out by the old Weird Sisters song playing on the record player. Draco sipped from a bottle of wine he'd found in the near-empty wine cellar, Astoria from a vial of Calming Draught. The candles that burned in their holders on the low table gave the scene an almost romantic light. 

"Draco?" Astoria said, laying her head on his shoulder. Draco could feel her shaking despite the Calming Draught. 

"Yes?" he asked.

"What's going to happen to your parents?" 

Draco froze,then slowly set down his bottle.

"I don't know." 

That night, neither of them slept. 

+

The next morning it was discovered that a tree had blown over, breaking a window and letting the heavy rain pour in. Draco spent much of that morning cleaning up the resulting mess so that Astoria could safely get to the bedroom. Her head was hurting her, and she didn't trust Draco to get the right potion for it, since he tended to overestimate the pain scale.

After breakfast, Draco and Astoria elected to go outside and assess the damage. 

Astoria took one step into the yard, and sank to her ankle in mud. She continued walking out, and Draco reluctantly followed. Though it was early in the morning, the sun was unbearably hot. Astoria still had on her light nightgown, having left her cloak inside, but Draco's suit was designed for colder weather. A foggy haze hung in the air, making it hard to see farther than a few yards ahead. 

They went back inside after only a few minutes, the heat becoming unbearable. Astoria's gown stuck to her skin with sweat and humidity, and her bare feet were caked in mud, though she'd tried to magic them clean. None of her spells worked well, nor Draco's, and they shared a worried look. 

+

At dinner Astoria turned on the radio. Silence and static was all that came from the speakers. She changed the station. Nothing. 

"It must be broken," she said, chuckling. "Muggle inventions never last long. And I suppose the ecletricity is out because of the storm."

Neither of them pointed out that the lights were powered by electricity too, and they still worked.

+

The bedroom was unbearably hot, as that side of the house was in the sun most of the day. Astoria stripped the covers off the bed, casting a Cooling Charm before climbing onto the bed and pulling up the sheet. Draco climbed in beside her, holding her hand. Astoria complained of her head hurting again, but the pain potions she took helped little. 

"Don't worry," she whispered when Draco looked concerned. "I'm fine."

+

The baby was moving throughout the next day, and Astoria wrote to her Healer. Draco waited anxiously by the window for the owl's return, despite the heat coming off the glass.

Astoria sighed heavily, sitting down and sipping a glass of ice water. Her head still ached, but nothing seemed to help. She had changed early in the day into a sleeveless gown, but sweat still poured down her neck, wetting her hair. Draco, too, had changed into light summer robes, and took it upon himself to cast Cooling Charms periodically on the room, but it seemed that with every charm the sun only grew hotter. 

The owl didn't return.

+

Astoria laid in bed, sobbing, her eyes shut tightly as thunder crashed outside. Sweat poured down her face, her chest heaving with each breath. The clock on the wall read three-forty in the morning, as if anyone had been paying attention to the time.

Draco knelt at the foot of the bed, his sleeves rolled up and a hand resting on Astoria's belly, feeling for movement. His other hand held tightly to Astoria's. 

"It's alright," he whispered, looking up at her. "It's okay. Just breathe, remember?" 

Astoria shook her head. "I can't breathe," she choked out between sobs. "I can't do this!"

"You can, and you have to!" Draco said, squeezing her hand. "It's almost time to push, alright? And then it's almost over."

Astoria sobbed, shaking. Draco sighed, squeezing her hand again. 

"It's alright," he whispered. "Just hold on." 

+

Scorpius, they named him. Scorpius Hyperion, after his grandfather. He had Draco's hair and nose, but his eyes resembled Astoria's, only blue instead of green. Draco had no doubt they'd change to green eventually. Astoria smiled for the first time in days, holding Scorpius close to her. Draco sat beside her, his eyes teary as he looked down at his son. 

+

They were running out of food and water. The sun was hotter than ever before, and the ground was baked hard. The leaves on the trees were shriveling and falling, the fruit drying out. Worse than that, none of their spells were working against the unbearable heat.

They would have to leave the Manor. 

Astoria collected what herbs were still growing in her window pots and hanging baskets, and salvaged what fruit she could from the trees, laying it in the sun to dry. She went into the woods and walked the grounds, collecting nuts and berries, coming home with scratched legs, sunburnt face, and feet pricked by thorns. Draco brewed strengthening and healing potions, going to bed with burned and callused fingertips and singed hair. They traded off taking care of Scorpius, who at two weeks old was alert and curious. They all slept in the cellar at night, long since given up on resting in the sweltering bedroom.

+

Three days later they set out, carrying their belongings with them. Scorpius curled up in a sling at his mother's chest, slumbering soundly. Astoria carried a parasol to protect the baby and herself from the scorching sun. Draco looked up at the sky; Was it his imagination or had it cooled down? He shook his head, not willing to get his hopes up. 

They walked down the long drive, through rows of once towering hedges, now withered and brown. The leaves that laid on the ground rustled as they walked over them. Draco sighed, glancing mournfully back at the now-empty manor. His childhood home looked nothing like the comforting place it had once been; it hadn't for years. 

"You always said you wanted to leave," Astoria said, trying to bring some humor to the situation. Draco smiled a little, pressing a light kiss to her head. They walked on in silence but for the rustling of leaves. 

+

The streets were deserted in the town they passed through — Draco could never get the names right, and what did it matter now? — the houses almost all empty. As dusk fell, so did an eerie silence. Draco walked closer to Astoria, who shivered; their bedroom at home got so much sun during the day that it was warm in the evenings, and when they woke up the sun had risen again, so they never noticed the cold. Now, though, they were truly exposed. Vulnerable. 

Now they were truly alone. 

+

The temperature had indeed decreased, and drastically; Wind and rain came unexpectedly, without warning. Astoria developed a worrisome cold, and they spent several nights camped out in a library while endless rain poured down. As soon as the rain stopped, though, the scorching heat returned. 

Draco noticed as they passed through another town how few people there were — perhaps five, at the most, and all of them staring suspiciously at the small family as they passed by. 

_We can be out of here by tonight, _Draco decided, walking a little faster. Astoria, too, picked up her pace. They were out of town before night fell, and spent that night in an abandoned barn on the outskirts of the next town over. 

+

They cut through a forest one day, and under the trees the heat was more bearable. Thorns scratched their arms, and Astoria's hair tangled in branches above her; After a time she took to simply cutting off whatever had gotten stuck. Scorpius fussed often, and they took breaks to calm him down. Astoria's sickness still had not abated, instead seeming to worsen. Once, she stopped walking altogether, blood running from her nose. Draco worried; Astoria had been frail since before Scorpius was born, and stress had never helped.

"I'm fine," she insisted, once her nose stopped bleeding. She walked on, unsteady. Draco sighed, staying close.

+

The sun beat down upon the seemingly endless field. Ahead, Draco could see woods, but they would have to get across the field before night fell. They were running low on water, days having passed since the last town, but there was a stream in the woods — if they could only make it...

"Hey!" 

Draco looked up, searching for the source of the sound. Astoria moved closer to him, clutching Scorpius to her chest. 

"Hey! Over here!" the voice called again. 

"I don't think they can see you," another said. "Did you cancel the Disillusionment Charm?"

"Oh, bugger, you're right. _Finite!"_

Gradually a figure appeared, walking forward; another appeared after a moment. Draco drew his wand, stepping forward cautiously. The closer figure lowered the hood of their light-colored robes, and Astoria drew in a gasp.

Harry Potter strode forward, his eyes narrowed. "Malfoy?"

+

Potter and his companion — neither Draco or Astoria recognized her — led them to an encampment, concealed by magic. There they were introduced to a few of the residents and were explained the rules, which were generally simple (try and stay quiet after dark, don't leave without letting someone know). 

"Any questions?" Potter asked. Draco shook his head, but Astoria spoke up:

"Why did all this happen?"

Potter gave her a tired look, sighing. "An elemental spell gone wrong, we believe." He didn't say more, but looked up at the sky, the sun glinting off his glasses. 

+

Astoria was getting sicker; She knew it. Draco didn't know, but she would have to tell him soon.

She was growing weaker, her eyes and mouth often dry. She had to take potions just so she could still nurse Scorpius, who was now nearly three months old, and growing. Astoria hoped she could hold out long enough to get him started on solid food. 

Draco worked outside, helping repair the damages caused whenever a storm blew through; he learned that any use of "element" magic — cooling, heating, fire, growing, even water charms — would not work, the magic instead feeding the sun or storm it was conjured to work against. By not using such types of magic, the refugees hoped that eventually the effects of the original element spell would reverse. Draco could only hope the same. 

+

It was time. 

Astoria had held on as long as she could, but the sickness had reached her head; she was in pain, and the few healers at the camp all agreed it wouldn't do her any favors to prolong the pain. The best they could do was to help her go peacefully.

The last night, Draco stayed by her side, cursing and crying. Astoria held his hand, silent tears running down her face, neither of them wanting to say goodbye. 

Then morning came, and with it the healer with a bottle of Calming Draught. Draco refused to leave, clutching Astoria's hand tightly. The healer shrugged, administering the potion. Astoria, delirious with fever, clutched Draco's hand tighter, calling weakly for Draco, for Scorpius, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. Draco held her hand, tears running down his face as he watched the slow rise and fall of her chest; her dry lips feverishly whispering,_ 'I love you';_

And then it stopped. 

+

Astoria was gone. It seemed stupid now that he had hoped she'd get better, miraculously recover, be able to go on living. 

Now it seemed pointless for Draco himself to go on living. 

He made himself, though, for Scorpius. For nearly a year now, he'd helped Astoria take care of him, and he couldn't give up.

+

The months blurred together, life an endless stretch of heat and misery. 

And then it wasn't. 

All at once, the world changed. The heat wasn't as awful. The grass was no longer brown and dead. Rain fell more often, softer than the horrible storms that swept through once once a month. 

Scorpius grew and grew; He and the youngest Potter child became inseparable. News traveled of a refuge in the South. And the East. Wizards and witches who had been assumed dead were found living among Muggles, or as Draco and Astoria had, moving from place to place. Potter burst into the camp, ecstatic, and announced his wife (whom he had been separated from shortly before arriving at the camp) had been found alive. 

All around, people were rebuilding, returning to their old lives. People left the camp, until only two or three small families remained besides Draco's. Potter's was one of them, much to Draco's chagrin and Scorpius's delight. The others eventually moved away, but Potter stayed — "waiting," he said when Draco asked one day.

And then, one day, Potter's wife — none other than Ron Weasley's little sister — appeared out of thin air, and whisked Potter and their children away. 

Draco was alone now, only a child and a grave to keep him company. 

+

Draco knelt by Astoria's grave, his head down.

"Astoria," he whispered, his voice thick with tears. "I don't know if you can hear me wherever you are, but...if you can, I want you to know that...Scorp and I are doing alright. We're going home." His voice broke, and he had to wipe away tears with his hand. "We're going back to the Manor. I...Astoria, not a day goes by I don't miss you. Scorpius...He has your eyes, you know...your eyes... " he sniffed, wiping his eyes again. 

"Astoria, I wish you could see this place. It's beautiful, it's all alive now. There are birds and...and bugs. Stupid little bugs, and - and butterflies. I wish you could see it. I can see the stars now, too." He choked back a sob, raising his face to the night sky, full of pinpricks, of bright, shining light. "I can see the stars, and...I wish you were here, so we could...so we could sit outside and see how many constellations we could name, and you could laugh when I get one wrong, like we always used to...I miss that..."

He held himself together for another moment, before breaking down in sobs; He lowered his head to his hands, tears flowing freely down his face as they hadn't since Astoria's death — four years ago, now. 

"I miss you so much," he whispered into the night, sobs shaking his whole body. "I love you so much...so, so much..."

+

Draco and Scorpius arrived home nearly a month later. Much had changed; the once neatly-kept gardens had overgrown, the branches of trees hanging to the ground. 

But it was home. 

Draco walked inside, a smile on his face for the first time since Scorpius was born, and tears in his eyes. 

He carried Scorpius through the halls, talking all the way ( "this is the kitchen. I used to sneak in here and steal food after your Grandmum and Granddad went to bed", "this is your Granddad's office, he used to stay in here all the time and write." ). 

"And this," Draco said finally, walking into his and Astoria's bedroom. "This is where you were born." 

Scorpius looked around, wide-eyed. His gaze landed on a portrait that hung above the bed; a painting of Draco and Astoria, standing together the day they were married. 

"Daddy!" Scorpius said, grinning. Draco smiled. 

"Yes, it is daddy. And see her?" He pointed to the painted Astoria, who smiled radiantly out of the painting. Scorpius nodded, leaning forward. 

"That's your mummy, Scorpius."

"Mummy?" Scorpius said, as if testing out the word. 

"Yes, your mummy." Draco sighed, hugging Scorpius. "Remember? I told you all about her." 

Scorpius nodded, laying his head on Draco's shoulder. "I remember." 

Draco sighed, sitting down on the old bed and gazing up at the picture. Though the painting was enchanted, its occupants hardly moved, too lost in each other's eyes. 

_So much has changed since then, _he thought a little mournfully. He sighed, kissing Scorpius's head. 

"How about some breakfast, eh, Scorp?" he suggested. "Race you to the kitchen." Scorpius nodded, hopping off Draco's lap and running out of the room. Draco stood to follow. Before he left the room, he glanced back at the wedding portrait. The painted Astoria looked over, her smile seeming to grow. Draco smiled back, slowly walking out of the room and pulling the door closed. Outside, the morning sun shone on a blanket of snow. All was well. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to everyone who read this all the way through! Please leave a kudos or review or both! Love y'all!


End file.
